While initially Sony chose to back the DVD+R(W) standard, the company now seems to be unsure on what format to pick as it has announced it will soon start shipping a DVD recorder that will write both DVD plus (DVD+) and DVD minus (DVD-).
The new drive, which the company is planning to announce in the second week of September, is significant as it is the first product to feature support for two competing recordable DVD formats in a single device and will mean users no longer have to worry about buying equipment that could become obsolete should one format fail to gain mass acceptance. It also points to a further softening in the position of Sony, which one year ago said it had no plans to support the DVD-R/RW format in computer-related products. |
At present, shopping for a recordable DVD drive means making a choice between one of two main formats: the DVD-R/RW family or the DVD+R/RW family. Both formats claim playback compatibility with existing DVD drives and DVD-Video players, although incompatibility between certain formats or brands and certain players is fairly common. A third format, DVD-RAM, is also available, but these discs are encased in a plastic cartridge making them more difficult to use in other DVD devices.
We have also heard rumors of other manufacturers that will support both formats, instead of one. You can read more information here.
Source: PCworld.com
